Pineapple Coconut Mojito

Just when I thought mojitos couldn't get any better, I took a sip of this pineapple coconut mojito and my mind was blown. I just wanted to get that out in the open from the start.

I just got home from Tennessee moments ago. On our way home from the airport, we made a quick stop for some tacos and ingredients for making margaritas to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. The weather is absolutely perfect and so we sat in the backyard. It was a relief to be home even though our visit to the South was so lovely. There is just nothing like your own home, is there?

Tonight was the first night that made me crave a mojito. My cocktail preferences change accordingly with the weather (except when it comes to red wine- that is something that needs no appropriate season) and this week is a mojito week for sure. The nice people at Blue Chair Bay Rum sent a bottle of their coconut rum my way and, muddled with fresh pineapple and mint leaves, it made a superb cocktail. You know how some sunscreen smells like a piña colada? That's what I thought of when I took the first sip.

No, it doesn't taste like sunscreen. I promise.

I have to be honest and say that coconut rum is typically the last thing on my mind when I think about stocking my liquor cabinet. But I'm actually quite happy this bottle made its way into the mix. I think it will be a wonderfully refreshing addition to summer cocktails with friends.

And the bottle is so pretty!

One last little tidbit of information for you- did you know today is National Beverage Day? It is! What better way to celebrate than with a fresh, tropical mojito?

To learn more about Blue Chair Bay Rum, check out their website by clicking here. You can also give them a 'like' on Facebook by clicking here.

Pineapple Coconut Mojito

Serves 1

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup fresh pineapple chunks
• 10 mint leaves, plus extra for garnishing
• 2 oz coconut rum
• 1 oz club soda

Instructions

1. In the bottom of a cocktail shaker or large glass, muddle the pineapple with the mint leaves and rum.
2. Add ice and stir until well chilled.
3. Strain into an ice-filled cocktail glass and garnish with the extra mint leaves.

Notes

If you can't find good fresh pineapple, go ahead and use frozen. Do NOT, under any circumstances, use canned pineapple. Just say 'no'.

Cocktail Friday: Peach Margarita + Basil Salt

Let's all go on vacation and have peach margaritas with basil salt. Deal?

I'm a big fan of classic margaritas (on the rocks please-and-thank-you). But I also enjoy playing around with new flavors because, let's be honest, it's fun. Last year I made a Pineapple-Honey Margarita that was fantastic. Fresh pineapple and a touch of honey made a perfectly balanced margarita that wasn't heavily laden with sugar. This year, I've done this peach margarita with basil salt. I know peaches are not in season at the moment (I had a bunch in the freezer from last summer that worked perfectly here) so feel free to use frozen if you can't get your hands on nice, ripe fruit.

As with the Pineapple-Honey Margarita, this one did not need any extra sugar. Peaches are already so beautifully sweet and make a nice match for silver tequila. The basil salt adds a fun, unique element to the cocktail but is completely optional. I love the little green flecks against the peachy orange of the drink. And you do get a hint of that sweet, grassy herbal flavor that basil is so loved for. This time of year that flavor is like gold. After harshly cold winter months, a little reminder of that spring-summer flavor is welcome.

Cinco de Mayo is upon us and this would make the perfect margarita to celebrate with along with a couple tasty tacos.

I'd love to hear what you all like to do to create your own unique version of the margarita!

Go Sugar Free begins again May 7th! You can sign up now by clicking HERE. This cocktail is a great example of what you can learn about living with less sugar!

Peach Margaritas with Basil Salt

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 4 oz Silver Tequila
• 1 cup frozen peach slices
• 1/3 cup margarita salt
• 1/4 cup firmly packed basil leaves

Instructions

1. Combine the tequila and peach slices in a blender. Pulse until completely mixed and slushy-like.
2. Chop the basil leaves roughly, then add the salt to your cutting board and continue to chop until the salt and basil are incorporated. You don't want to pulverize the basil, just get it evenly distributed throughout the salt.
3. Spread the salt in an even layer on the cutting board.
4. Use water or a touch of honey to coat the rims of two margarita glasses.
5. Gently coat the glass rims in the basil salt and fill each with the peach margaritas.

Notes

Use frozen peaches unless you can find really flavorful, juicy fresh peaches in season. If you use fresh peaches, add 2/3 cup ice to the blender. If the peaches are a little bland, add just a touch of lime juice and a bit of honey. Otherwise, the peaches are plenty sweet on their own, making this a healthier margarita choice. Cheers to that!

Kale + Parsley Pesto

Creating a successful road trip with a toddler is a little bit like recipe testing. You have to find the right combination of ingredients, then test each amount. Eventually, you realize that you only need a pinch of this, a handful of that, and to mix it all roughly with your hands. Rather than an exact recipe, it's similar to making dough. You have to know it and understand it by touch, feel, and sometimes sound. The first day of our road trip last summer, if it were to be compared to dough, didn't rise. Instead, we began the day with our dog bolting out the door of our mini van (I still can't believe we drive one of those- apparently she wanted nothing to do with it), and getting just barely hit by a car. Yep. A car actually hit her. Fortunately, it was early enough in the morning that there was little traffic and the cars that were on the road had plenty of time to slow down so she didn't get hurt. I'm just gonna throw this out there: worst start to a road trip ever.

The rest of the day was filled with lots of crying from our then 1 1/2 year old in the back seat. He didn't sleep one wink from 6am until 9pm. It was a long day and we were all pretty ragged by the end of it. Problem #1: we wanted to be the parents who didn't resort to TV shows to survive a road trip. I never had that growing up, why should Riley? But then I realized most of my road-tripping happened when I was old enough to entertain myself, chose to sleep in the car, and read books. This time, we allowed a little TV near the end of the day- Sesame Street, Land Before Time and Daniel Tiger - in the hopes that it would keep us all a bit more sane. That, combined with introducing new toys every couple of hours and pulling off of the interstate to get out and stretch our legs for a few minutes, gave us a 1,000% improved day of driving.

Ya gotta do what ya gotta do. Right?

When it comes right down to it, anything that gets us from Colorado to Iowa en route to Minnesota for moments like this is completely worth it...

So, can we move on to this Kale & Parsley Pesto? OK. Let's do it.

I've been making kale pesto for a while now. I love it and so does the rest of my family, which makes me so happy. (Just one more way to make grilled cheese sandwiches and pasta a bit healthier- yes!) I've been testing recipes for kale pesto and this is my absolute favorite. I like to use pistachios, a healthy amount of lemon juice, and of course garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. I don't add parmesan cheese, as many traditional pesto recipes do, but you certainly could if you wanted to.

The vibrant green color (that withstands time and heat without turning brown) and bright flavor are enough to keep you coming back for more. Every little bite helps when you're trying to work more greens into your diet and this pesto makes it infinitely easier to do just that.

Kale & Parsley Pesto

Ingredients

• 4 cups chopped kale leaves, washed & ribs removed
• 1 cup flat leaf parsley (a few tender stems are ok to include but remove any larger, tougher stems)
• 1/2 cup shelled, unsalted pistachios
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
• 1 teaspoon course salt
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup water
• salt & black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Combine the pistachios, garlic, lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon salt in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is well mixed and looks a little like wet sand.
2. Add the kale and parsley to the processor bowl and pulse until just finely chopped, about ten 1 second pulses.
3. With the processor running, slowly stream the olive oil into the processor, followed by the water.
4. Taste the pesto and season with salt and pepper, pulsing a couple of times to combine.
5. Store in an airtight container for 1-2 weeks.

Notes

If you want a thinner/thicker pesto, add a little more water (not too much...just a tablespoon at a time but no more than 2 or 3 total) and/or extra olive oil.

Cocktail Friday: Blueberry Thyme Gin Fizz

We had a truly wonderful spring day on Wednesday. The sun was full of enough warmth to take away the need for a sweater or jacket. The moment I felt the heat hit my skin I felt instantly rejuvenated. Riley and I went to the park where he discovered the joy of watching bugs crawl on the sidewalk. As I watched him discover new things that only come with the changing seasons I realized how much he has grown. Last year at this time I was watching him clumsily walk around as he discovered that moving one step in front of the other brought him from here to there and back again. Those sweet baby legs are now little boy legs. He has grown faster than I'm willing to acknowledge most of the time.

Luckily, each new stage brings even more sweetness than my heart can hold (even in the midst of the toddler mood swings that come with being 2 years old).

So, I'm saying goodbye to one season and hello to a new one by celebrating the things that I love most. Today, it's all about fresh thyme and bright blueberries. Muddled together they create the perfect beginning to a spring cocktail. Gin, vermouth and bitters are given a little life with a splash of club soda. Sweetness comes from my date simple syrup (which makes this a no-sugar-added cocktail).

And just like that it's time to say cheers to the weekend. And spring. And change.

Life become more beautiful with change, don't you think?

Blueberry Thyme Gin Fizz

Ingredients

• 15 fresh or frozen blueberries
• 3 large thyme sprigs
• 1 oz gin
• 1 oz vermouth
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• 1/2 oz date simple syrup
• club soda

Instructions

1. Combine the blueberries, thyme sprigs, gin, bitters and simple syrup in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with ice and shake vigorously until thoroughly chilled.
2. Strain into a cocktail glass filled with ice.
3. Top with club soda and garnish with a thyme spring and a couple blueberries.

Quinoa Salad with Peas, Bacon & Golden Raisins

Today I found some green, pointy hyacinth leaves coming up out of the soil in our backyard. They were in a place I had forgotten about completely. I carefully cleared away some of the debris that was covering the tender new leaves so I could more clearly see them, imagining what they would look like in each stage of growth, all the while relishing the feeling of dirt under my finger nails. Spring is such a lovely time of year, even when it takes its sweet time getting here.

The weather may not be all that spring-like just yet, aside form a day or two here and there, but I'm starting to incorporate more seasonally appropriate food into our rotation. This quinoa salad, studded with bright green sweet peas, salty bacon, and sweet golden raisins is perfection. It was kind of an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink kind of concoction, but it turned out so well. I made a flavorful and bright dressing with lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, and lots of fresh herbs to bring even more freshness. It's been a delicious lunch this week and I know I'll be making various versions of it in the future.

I've been trying to incorporate more grains into my diet that aren't in the form of macaroni and cheese (the little man's favorite) or rice bowls (a family favorite). This is a step in the right direction, yes?

Another plus is that this is added sugar free! Perfect for anyone who has gone through (or plans to sign up for) this Go Sugar Free Course.

Just a reminder- you have 5 more days to register as an Early Bird for GSF. Click here if you're interested!

So, I'm going to continue watching my hyacinth (and tulips) grow and eventually bloom as a reminder that all good things come to those who wait. Spring included.

Want something you don't have to wait for? This recipe.

Quinoa Salad with Peas, Bacon & Golden Raisins

Ingredients

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
• 2 lemons, zest and juice reserved
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
• 4 slices thick cut bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1/3 cup golden raisins
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

1. Put 2 cups of water in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Add the quinoa and stir.
3. Cover the pan, reduce heat so the water is just simmering, and cook until the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.
4. Add the peas to the pan and stir with the quinoa. Cover and cook another 5 minutes.
5. Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl.
6. In a small bowl, combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, parsley, basil, dill, and chives. Season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
7. Pour the dressing over the quinoa. Add the bacon, raisins and chopped pecans and toss to coat.
8. Serve warm, at room temp, or cold from the fridge.

Date Simple Syrup + Go Sugar Free Update

Before I get into a summary of my experience going sugar free, let's chat about this date simple syrup.

Going sugar free is tricky when you blog about cocktails each and every week. Simple syrup, one of the staple ingredients when it comes to cocktails, is difficult to avoid entirely. Fortunately, I found a way to add sweetness without even the smallest pinch of refined sugar. This simple syrup is simply (no pun intended) dates that have been simmered in water until it has been infused with sweetness. The consistency is not as thick as a traditional simple syrup, but the sweetness is there. And that's the most important part, right? It does have a slightly nutty flavor, similar to that of brown sugar, but it is subtle enough that it can be used in most cocktail recipes.

Dates have been one of the most versatile and delicious additions to my list of staple ingredients to have in the kitchen. They make a perfect, sweet snack paired with a little bit of blue cheese and act as a healthy sweetener for anything from this syrup to this peanut butter bulgur wheat (pictured below).

OK, now that we have a naturally sweet, no sugar added simple syrup, let's talk about where I got the inspiration to  create a recipe like this...

As a food blogger, I like to feel like I have control over everything I put in my body, but the reality is that sometimes...I don't. A lot of my time outside of food blogging and recipe development is spent focusing on feeding my 2 year old something that involves more than crackers, popcorn, toast and milk. That takes a surprising amount of energy now that he's learned to reject anything he doesn't recognize.  When all is said and done, I don't always have much motivation to focus on what gets put on my own plate.

When I started the Go Sugar Free course I was scared. It was scary because I didn't want to give anything up. Well, I did want to but the thought of it really seriously scared me. What would happen if I went to a birthday party and had to say no to the chocolate cake with rich butter cream frosting? What would I do without my sweet cocktails and occasional bite of ice cream? I was happy to learn that, even though my sugar habit was not extreme, I was able to go without it and still survive.

Sometimes I have assignments to develop recipes. Developing recipes requires tasting. Sometimes that meant eating sugar even during the course, which is not a typical situation for most students. I think it is a testament to Jacqueline and her course that I was able to get through those moments without completely falling off the wagon.

If you are reading this and thinking to yourself, "I don't eat that much sugar." Here's the thing...sugar is not the only thing you learn about through Go Sugar Free. Jacqueline has done all of the grunt work to collect information about the best grains and how they can impact reliance on sugar. There are other foods with connections to sugar that I never considered before GSF. And most importantly, I began to realize how important routines are when it comes to health. Waking up in the morning and knowing what I need to do to start my day out the right way has been the most significant and liberating change I've taken with me since completing GSF.

To explain what I mean, here is an example of my morning routine:

• 7:00am wake up
• 7:05am put coffee on
• 7:05am do yoga stretches while coffee brews
• 7:20am drink an 8 oz. glass of Kefir
• 7:25am drink coffee & read
• 7:30-7:45am toddler wakes up and the day barrels on

Having those morning routines helps me find my center and prepare my mind for making healthy choices all day long. That, along with losing 2 inches from my waist, made the GSF course more than worth it.

The most common question I get from the people I talk to about this course is if they have to give up sugar permanently forever and ever. My answer, for myself, is no. I feel that I have control over how much sugar is in my diet and I can, thanks to Jacqueline's course, recognize the signs (complexion, exhaustion, etc) my body is using to tell me I need to tone it down. But each person is different. You make decisions that work best for you and Jacqueline gives 100% of her support no matter what.

If you're curious or have questions about the course, head over to the FAQ's on Jacqueline's website by clicking here.

I am blessed to call Jacqueline a friend and I know how much she puts into this course and that her past experiences and struggles make her an expert in every sense of the word. In addition to being an expert, her passion to help individuals understand the impact sugar has on our overall health and well-being is incredible.

If you feel like this is the right time for you to get control of your diet, feel more energized, and make healthier choices, you can register for GSF as an early bird which includes:

• A copy of Jacqueline's ebook 5 Easy Ways to Look Radiant Tomorrow Morning.
• The 10 full-length free online workouts Jacqueline uses to keep in shape when she doesn’t have time to leave the house to exercise.

Click here to register for the next course, which runs May 7-July 12, 2014.

*This post contains affiliate links. The opinions stated are 100% my own.

Date Simple Syrup

Ingredients

• 5 oz pitted Medjool dates, halved
• 1 1/2 cups water

Instructions

1. Combine the dates and water in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes or until the liquid has reduced by about 1/3.
3. Pour through a fine mesh strainer and into a heatproof jar.
4. Cool completely and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.